Recently I’ve read that using the fluorescent type light bulb uses less electricity than the standard incandescent bulb we are so familiar with. Formerly the fluorescent light was mainly in the shape of a straight tube but now they make bulbs shaped like a corkscrew, which can be screwed into any ordinary light bulb socket. They are available everywhere. One article I read was advocating replacing our incandescent bulbs in the home with fluorescent ones. Since they use much less electricity, less electricity needs to be generated. Hence this would create fewer atmosphere-polluting emissions. The article sated, “If only one bulb was replaced in every house in the United States the reduction of emissions would be the same as taking 6.5 million cars off the highways.”
Impressive indeed.
Then about a week later I read, “If only one bulb was replaced in every house in the United States the reduction of emissions would be the same as taking four hundred thousand cars off the highways.”
Wait a minute! Is it 6.5 million or four hundred thousand cars?
Either way it’s a significant amount but my point is where is the data backing this up? I’m sure there’s a valid point in there but not backing up the statement with valid information weakens it.
I had the same problem with Al Gore’s book, “An Inconvenient Truth”. Many statements made: very little scientific evidence citied.
The Old Professor
Carmel, CA
April 25, 2007
